Euronews presents a survey on when Europeans retire and how many years they remain retired.
Within the EU, the longest period that a pensioner remains in Luxembourg, with men expected to receive a pension for 22 years
The well-known media notes that there are significant differences by country.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2024 the retirement age in the EU was 64.7 years for men and 64 years for women.
Since citizens gain the right to receive a pension once they reach retirement age, Euronews Business used life expectancy at retirement age in each country to make the comparisons.
Citizens can expect to receive a pension for this period if they also meet other conditions, such as the required number of years of work.
Of course, some retirees continue to work even after they reach retirement age.
18.4 years for men, 21.8 years for women
Men in the EU are expected to live on average 18.4 years after retirement, compared to 21.8 years for women.
These figures are based on life expectancy at their retirement age, according to Eurostat and OECD data for 2024.
For men, the expected number of years in which they will receive a pension ranges from 14.7 years in Bulgaria and Hungary to 27.3 years in Turkey.
Within the EU, the longest period in which a pensioner remains is found in Luxembourg, with men expected to receive a pension for 22 years.
According to Euronews, this difference is mainly due to two factors: differences in retirement age and life expectancy.
Male pensioners in Greece (21 years), France (20.7), Slovenia (20.7), Switzerland (20.4) and Malta (20.2) are also expected to spend more than 20 years in retirement.
The expected number of years of retirement is also higher than the EU average of 18.4 years in Cyprus (19.8), Sweden (19.4), Portugal (19.3), Belgium (19.1), Ireland (19), the United Kingdom (19), Austria (18.8) and Finland (18.7).
Among the large economies, pensioners in Germany are in a more difficult position
With the exception of Germany, men in other major European economies are expected to spend more years in retirement than the EU average.
In Germany, this figure is 1.1 years below the EU average, a significant gap compared to France, Italy and Spain.
In contrast, except in Bulgaria and Hungary, male pensioners are expected to spend the fewest years in retirement in Latvia, Romania and Lithuania, where this number is less than 16 years.
For women, the expected number of years in retirement is 21.8 in the EU, ranging from 18.6 years in Hungary to 34.5 years in Turkey.
It is also more than 25 years in Luxembourg.
Women in Slovenia, Greece, France, Spain, Switzerland, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus and Finland are also projected to spend more than 22 years in retirement, meaning they are expected to receive a pension over 22 years.
In terms of women, not only Germany (20.3) but also the United Kingdom (21) are below the EU average.
In addition to Hungary, in several countries women are expected to spend less than 20 years in retirement.
These include Bulgaria (18.8), Romania (19.1), the Netherlands (19.2), Croatia (19.6), Denmark (19.7), Latvia (19.8) and Iceland (19.8).
Retirement Age and Expected Death Age – Turkey's Exception
In 2024, Turkey is an exception among the 32 European countries, with the retirement age currently standing at 52 years for men and 49 years for women.
Apart from Turkey, the retirement age ranges from 62 to 67 years for men and from 60 to 67 years for women in the other countries on the list.
The retirement age in the EU is 64.7 years for men and 64 years for women.
Life expectancy for men is 83.1 years, compared to 85.8 years for women.
Difference Between Men and Women in Retirement
On average in the EU, women are expected to spend 3.4 years longer in retirement than men.
This gap ranges from 1.6 years in Iceland to 7.2 years in Turkey.
This gap also amounts to four years or more in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland.
However, labour force participation rates in these countries are comparatively lower, Euronews points out.
Another aspect is the gender pension gap.
In OECD countries, women receive on average 23% less in pensions than men, while this gap reaches 37% in the United Kingdom.
The average effective age of exit from the labour market
It is worth noting that the average effective exit age from the labour market may differ from the retirement age.
For example, in the EU, the retirement age for men is 64.7 years, while the average retirement age is 63.8 years.
For women, the retirement age is 62.9 years, compared to a retirement age of 64.
The most striking difference between the retirement age and the age of exit from the labour market is observed in Turkey.
While men can retire at 52, their average retirement age is 60.8 years.
For women, the corresponding figures are 49 and 60.5 years.
The expected years after leaving the labour market would amount to 18.2 for men and 22.6 for women in Turkey.
This suggests that, although the expected retirement years are the highest in Turkey, this number would be significantly lower considering the exit age from the labor market.
Pensions are the main source of income for older Europeans, while pension levels vary widely across Europe, both in nominal terms and in terms of purchasing power.
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